


The Binding of Thorns

by whiteravenwrites17



Category: Chain of Iron - Fandom, The Last Hours Series - Cassandra Clare, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Angst, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Happy Ending, grace is a bitch can we all agree on that please, matthew needs therapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29908971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiteravenwrites17/pseuds/whiteravenwrites17
Summary: *After Chain of Iron*Just when the bracelet broke, James was about to confess his love to Cordelia when she spot him hugging Grace Blackthorn. In a rage she ran to Matthew Fairchild who proposes to go to Paris. Looking for his wife, James is too late to make it to the train, Then to make matters worse, Lucie ran away with High Warlock Malcom Fade to raise Jesse Blackthorn from the dead. Determined to help his sister first, he still agonizes in private for the love he never had.In Paris, Matthew and Cordelia enjoy all France has to offer, but they feel guilty for leaving James back in London. They also speculate on Grace's mysterious bracelet. Will James and Cordelia find their way back to each to each other?Aimed to be a 11k novella.
Relationships: Alastair Carstairs/Thomas Lightwood, Cordelia Carstairs/James Herondale, Cordelia Carstairs/Matthew Fairchild/James Herondale, Jesse Blackthorn/Lucie Herondale, Tessa Gray/Will Herondale
Kudos: 32





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *After Chain of Iron*
> 
> Just when the bracelet broke, James was about to confess his love to Cordelia when she spot him hugging Grace Blackthorn. In a rage she ran to Matthew Fairchild who proposes to go to Paris. Looking for his wife, James it too late to make it to the train, Then to make matters worse, Lucie ran away with High Warlock Malcom Fade to raise Jesse Blackthorn from the dead. Determined to help his sister first, he still agonizes in private for the love he never had. 
> 
> In Paris, Matthew and Cordelia enjoy all France has to offer, but they feel guilty for leaving James back in London. They also speculate on Grace's mysterious bracelet. Will James and Cordelia find their way back to each to each other?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Comments are appreciated :)

James couldn’t remember what it felt like to even love Grace. He didn’t even think he did; it was just a hallucination, a walking dream. As he watched the train leave, he rubbed the fabric of Cordelia’s glove on his hand. This overwhelming sensation in his chest, overtaking him completely, tears built as he walked with his father back to the carriage. Hatred fumed and made his blood boil was this increasing rage to punch Matthew in his face. His best friend and _parbati_ with the woman he loved. His wife with another man. James was baffled that Matthew was in love with Cordelia, he wasn’t even aware of it thanks to that bracelet. He’d been to caught up in the spell to even notice anything around him. The feelings of his friends and Cordelia. She’d been so in love with him for so long, and he didn’t even know.

Hitting himself, he almost wanted to turn back and follow them. Follow Cordelia and Matthew to Paris and go on his hands and knees, declaring himself to her and only her. That metal bracelet imprisoned to his mind, the black magic filling him with thoughts of this other woman that he did not love. He didn’t hate Grace, she was raised by Tatiana Blackthorn, a woman who hated his family and all Shadowhunters.

Lucie was trying to raise Jesse from the dead, in a way he admired her, only a year younger than him but still managed to get what she wanted out of life. She had an ability to talk to the dead; the ghosts came to her because she understood everyone around her. She knew that Cordelia suffered underneath that mask; she pretended not to love James because she thought he never loved her. If it wasn’t for their kiss, he would have never been free of Grace. 

The love he felt for Cordelia shown so bright and clear in his mind that nothing else mattered. The poignant pain burned within him as they returned home. With Grace, she was always dragging him along, breaking his heart like a primal beast going after his prey. He had to get the Clave there, and Charlotte. If he didn’t, Grace and her mother working with Belial and find someone else to do there bidding. _Lucie_. Grace was convincing her to raise the dead. He remembered her crouched over Jesse’s body, begging him to come back to her. That desperation he understood. 

________

Cordelia didn’t realize she had one glove until she was sitting down comfortably on the train. “I only have one glove,” she frowned. 

“It doesn’t matter, you’ll have another wardrobe, the most expensive clothes money could buy,” Matthew replied energetically. He sat the opposite of her, taking off his hat and coat. 

She beamed at him, wondering why he was sitting opposite of her. Some part of her minded, that other half she had

Been kissing James less than just a few hours ago. They were more than kissing; he was undressing her, comforting her in the time of need. Desire and love are not the same, she reminded herself. He might grow hard underneath her touch, but he was in love with Grace. Grace was the love of his life, whirling touching her as he was thinking of Grace. 

Matthew was in front of her, begging on his hands on knees, asking her to be with him, wholeheartedly in love with her, and James wasn’t. She could learn to love Matthew, maybe even marry him one day. She would divorce James next year, marry Matthew and he would marry Grace and they would still be friends, hopefully. 

She didn’t write Matthew’s letter, but she helped him dictate it, to put it gently. She could imagine James’ panic when she left. His ashen, worried look as he realized she was gone. Perhaps it was too cruel. She was running away to Paris with Matthew. The wedding ring still etched into her skin, she was still married. Still James’ wife-but in name only. What would people think if James showed up alone to parties asking where she was? Would James be disgraced? Perhaps she should write a letter to him while in Paris. It would probably take weeks to arrive, and would he even respond? All over her husband. In name only, only in name. He respected her and never forced her to consummate their marriage. He was her friend first, after all. They were still married in the eyes of their family, and everyone around them. Will and Tessa seemed so happy when she walked down the aisle, going to James. 

Cordelia tried to be as stoic and insouciant as possible. In the back of her mind she was overwhelmed and jubilant. She loved him her whole life; she had confronted him a million times and was able to tell him the very depths of her soul. Somehow she didn’t mind the most simple words possible. _I love you, I will always love you, and in death I’ll find you too._ She wouldn’t be with him then, Grace would. For some reason James fell in love with Grace, and she saw it. The scene played out in her head like a silent film, constantly seeing the scene playing out. His arms tight around her, Grace’s head in his neck. Her heartbeat quickened, and her pulse raced. She took off her coat and sat it in her lap. 

“Second thoughts?” Matthew asked, with an amused smile.

The words came out so quick, she didn’t hear him. On the train with Matthew felt like a fever dream. “No,” she smiled. “I’m happy to be here.”

“I don’t expect you to love me the same way I love you you, I know you love James. You don’t own me anything.”

“I want to be with you,” she grounded out, straightening her back. “Here, now. James will never be mine. He was Grace’s.”

“I want to kill the both of them,” he grunted. 

“Please don’t,” she said, reaching for him. “we can’t apologize for the people we love. And James wouldn’t kill you either for being here with me.”

“There something about Grace that irks me. She’s not right for him.”

“We have no right to judge, love is blind, Math,” she replied, sitting back. 

“It’s not real, something about Grace doesn’t add up.”

“You mean she’s a demon?” 

They both burst out laughing. “No, Daisy, that bracelet, when it broke, did something change in him?”

“Change? He seemed more alive somehow, like he was back to his old self.”

“Strange,” Matthew mumbled. “there is something about that bracelet, Daisy, something not right at all.”

AN: Comments are appreciated. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matthew and Cordelia arrive in Paris. Lucie tries desperately to save Jesse.

She didn’t know what to write it; he deserved this. That she loved him. He deserved to have a choice, even if he did marry Grace after divorcing her. She took the quill as she began to write, the words escaped her. 

_~~Dearest James~~ , James, _

_I’m in Paris with Matthew. After the death of my father, and the events involving my brother, I needed a vacation. It was terrible of me to not leave you with a letter, at least to say goodbye. Tell our friends I’m safe. I’m leaving for Paris, with my gear, and my blades in case of demons. Matthew suggests we go to see the Institute in Paris._

_I think it’s best if I remain here for the rest of the year of our marriage. It’s obvious you cannot keep away from Grace, and its wrong of me to assume that you could. You were the perfect husband; you were always so kind, and you never pressed your attentions towards me. I lied to you James; I do love you. I have since we were kids, and I nursed you when you were ill. You don’t even remember that._

_Matthew is in love with me. I don’t love him. Perhaps in time I could if you grant me a divorce. I hope when I see you again, we can move forward. I want you to be happy, James, even if it’s not with me._

_I love you, Cordelia_

Putting the letter in the envelope, she addressed and sealed it. She hoped that James would reply, even if he didn’t reply to her. At least he would know she loved him.

______________

James took his seraph blades and put them in their holdings before going to bed. He took off his gear piece by piece, exhausted and exhilarated. The adrenaline pumped through him still as he sat down. His parents didn’t find Lucie, but Charlotte and her husband were working on it. Grace went home, he would be keeping an eye on her. He didn’t trust being around her, she would easily spell him again and he would forget Cordelia. Never again. He vowed never to let black magic interfere with him, or the Herondales. Never again will the Blackthorns have that power to control someone. 

He thought about Jesse, Grace was so hell bent on resurrecting him, she must have had one splinter of emotion. Looking at the empty sheets beside him, he was so used to Cordelia watching over him for the past few weeks, that he couldn’t sleep now.

He counted the number of angels there were, the mortal instruments and the infernal devices. He remembered Cordelia raising Cortana, her long hair flowing against the wind, parrying the demon as she swung her sword on him.

James remembered how proud he felt, his wife, protecting him. She couldn’t see how much he was beaming at her.

He wanted desperately to talk to her. Was she concerned about him as he was about her? She did leave without a note- well, Matthew wrote the note. It seemed so uncharacteristic of him; she spoke through the letter. That’s how it felt like. The sweetness of the words reminded him of Cordelia.

_______

Cordelia stepped out of the motorcar as Matthew took her hand. He tucked her arm in his as they stepped into the light of Paris. The town enamated the smell of fresh bread, coffee and croissant. It was intoxicating; it filled Cordelia will so much hope and promise, relaxing the ache in her chest that James. 

She promised not to think of him or Grace. Matthew looked so happy to have her on his arm like a married couple. She frowned when she wished it was James on her arm instead. Cordelia romanticized that James would come to Paris and whisk her away. To go back home or to stay in Paris for a few day. To stay in a bedroom until neither of them could move. Her hands on his belt, her hands undoing James’ shirt. The warmth radiating between them. It had just happened moments before Grace happened upon them. What would have happened if they continued?

As she entered the doors of the Raddison Blu hotel, Matthew trailed behind her. He took her hand as she gladly accepted it. “I’m just going to check us in. You want to meet upstairs?”

She nodded, unsure of what to say. When he went to the counter, she heard him speak quietly. The hotel was so grand that his voice carried. As she looked up, the ceiling was at least twenty stories. Grabbing her coat, she tightened it around herself as Matthew winked at her, holding up to the two keys. 

As he gave her the key, the bellman carried their luggage, as he said. “You two make a lovely couple.”

“Thank you,” Matthew replied, looking at Cordelia. 

Cordelia didn’t say anything. She couldn’t. All she was thinking of was James.

As the elevator dinged, Matthew thanked the man and gave him a couple of pounds. The rooms were next to each other. It reminded Cordelia too much of James and their separate rooms. She remembered how many times she wished she would go through that door and sleep next to him. 

As Matthew opened the door for her, she saw the lavish suite, the brilliant sunshine lighting the room. The iridescent light emanated hues of the rainbow across her room. As she set the luggage down, she looked at the view, the Eiffel Tower in front of her. Matthew’s footsteps came behind her as her whole body tensed. His arms seized hers as he rubbed her fabric. The movement radiated heat as she turned her head to look at him. “Are you hungry?”

His mouth was never as close to her as it was right now.

If she titled her head more, their lips would have been touching. “Not at all,” he replied huskily. 

“Well, I am,” she said rather too loudly. “I’ll see you later.”

He said nothing as she closed the door behind her, leaving Matthew confused. 

_________

Lucie, Jesse, and Malcom were in Wales. Jesse’s body near Lucie as she hunched over him, his body covered in a blanket. Malcom put a spell over him to make him invisible. She wished he lived, she willed him. Every other hour when they stopped, Lucie commanded him. She had the power from Belial,in all the times she felt powerful now she didn’t He was living, he was awake, after leaving Blackthorn Manor, he awoke. Breathing. Living. Loving. He was loving her, the love surround her. Even in death, his spirit was still around her. She didn’t see him. 

“He’s gone, Malcom,” she told him. The wind flew in her hair. A cold breeze entered her. 

“He’s here. We just need to tether him to his body again. Don’t give up Lucie.”

“I’m sorry, what the Blackthorns did to you.”

“You’re not a Blackthorn, Lucie,” he replied without any warmth. 

“Where are we taking Jesse?” she asked. 

“Near the water, I have a cave there. Where I do magic.”

“Don’t you have a place? A home?”

“There is some magic the Clave doesn’t approve of,” Malcom replied vaguely. 

“That was elaborate, thank you,” Lucie replied. The sarcasm dripped from her voice as Malcom spelled Jesse to follow him. 

Jesse’s lifeless body levitated as it settled on the sand. Lucie, by instinct, took his hand. “Jesse, I’m here. I will make you live. That’s a promise. We’ll be together.”

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: A little of smut (James/Cordelia). Alastair/Thomas. A little warning to younger readers for these descriptions. Generally for teens but adults can read and enjoy :)
> 
> No claims on copyright, all rights belong to Cassandra Clare and Simon and Schuster.


End file.
